Page 29 of A Little Thankful

“No problem,” Mace said.

“None at all,” Forrest agreed.

“So, what the fuck are we going to tell her?” I offered, and we all just stared at each other like we had no idea whatsoever.

“I know,” Forrest said. “She can quit working all together and we’ll take care of her and Autumn.”

Mace looked at him like he’d just fallen out of the sky and landed on his head. “Do you actually think that Sage, daughter of women’s advocate, Martha, granddaughter of baby boomer Iris, both powerhouse women, would ever relent to having a man or men support her? Sage’s mom could’ve quit working a coupledecades ago, but she didn’t. Why? Because independent women are just that… independent. Next!”

“Okay,” I said. “That may be true, but a lot of women value staying home to raise their child.”

“Sure they do,” Mace shot back. “But they have entire businesses set up in their home office or their living room or kitchen so they can do that. What else ya got?”

“Then that’s what we need to focus on,” Forrest said. “Why can’t she do whatever she does for her parents from here in Cricket? Nobody needs to work in an office anymore unless they’re assembling something. And even then, there are robots for that kind of work.”

“I already thought of that, but I don’t think it’s possible. For instance, she told me she has some big meeting with a client on Monday morning at her office in San Francisco. How would she ever do that from here in Cricket. Hell, we don’t even have an airport. Her client would have to fly into San Francisco and drive up here. It just doesn’t work.”

“Then let’s find funding for our own private airport?” Forrest suggested. “Maybe if we start there, we can make this thing work.”

We both looked at him like he was crazy. “Nice idea. And I think you should get right on it, but that could take years. In the meantime, Sage is still living three hours away.”

Silence and a lot of sighing surrounded us for at least ten full minutes. We guzzled our beers, Mace brought in more beer, and we popped those open, but nothing was said.

“So, that’s it then. We’re worthless and can’t think of one single way to keep her here.”

“Sex,” Forrest said. “Dirty, wicked sex. Maybe that’s the secret. Appeal to her libido.”

“Believe me, “I said. “I tried, but apparently, that has no bearing on her decision.”

Forrest stared at me. “I would like to have been there for that.”

“Me too,” Mace said. “Although our sex was really fucking hot. And what about yours, Forrest? Hot stuff?”

“We haven’t had it yet, remember? Tonight was supposed to be our date.”

We both stared at him.

“Oh no,” he groused, holding up a hand. “You’re not pinning this on me. I’m not taking on that kind of pressure.”

“You’ve got to,” I told him.

“You’re our last hope,” Mace told him. “You have to outperform both of us.”

“That’s never going to happen. I might be good, but I’m not that good. Tell you what. I’m willing to give up my night for a foursome night. We haven’t had one of those since the cabin. Why not have a repeat of the cabin, only even dirtier. Let’s show her what she’ll be missing, within reason, of course. We don’t want her to pass out or anything.”

“We’ll make the same rules as the first time. Anything that she doesn’t like or if anything hurts, she just has to tell us.”

“Hell, I’m willing to do anything if it keeps her here. I’ll even have sex with one of you two if that’s what turns her on,” Forrest said.

“Well, don’t look at me,” I told him.

“Or me,” Mace said.

“If it meant that she’d stay? Seriously?”

“I like you, bro, but I don’t know if I want your dick anywhere near my body.”

“We don’t have to go that far. Maybe a kiss or something. A little cock guiding. Nothing too dramatic.”

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